Connecticut General Statutes Title 7. Municipalities § 7-127e. Application. Matching funds for neighborhood youth centers program and Leadership, Education, Athletics in Partnership program. Advisory committee for grant application review

(a) The Department of Education shall solicit competitive proposals under this program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, and every two years thereafter. The Department of Education shall notify the eligible agencies of the amount of funds provided for each city in accordance with section 7-127d. Eligible agencies may file a grant application with the Department of Education on such form and at such time as the department may require.

(b) Grant funds made available for the provisions of sections 7-127d to 7-127g, inclusive, shall not be used to supplant existing services. A minimum of twenty-five per cent of the total program costs for each neighborhood youth center program shall be supported with local funds or in-kind contributions which may include federal, local and private funds which support existing services.

(c) The Department of Education shall review all grant applications received and make the decisions concerning which applications shall be funded and at what funding levels. Criteria for such decisions shall include (1) documentation of need for the program through crime and poverty statistics for the neighborhood to be served; (2) responsiveness to program component requirements; (3) reasonableness of costs; (4) soundness of program plan; (5) experience of the applicant agency in providing youth recreational services; and (6) evidence of collaboration and coordination with other children's services providers in the neighborhood. The Department of Education shall convene and chair an advisory committee to assist in grant application review. Such committee shall include representatives of the Judicial Department and the Departments of Children and Families, Education, Public Health and Social Services.

(d) In order to be eligible to receive funds from the Department of Education for the Leadership, Education, Athletics in Partnership (LEAP) program, or the neighborhood youth centers program, an applicant must provide a match of at least fifty per cent of the grant amount. The cash portion of such match shall be at least twenty-five per cent of the grant amount.